Australia announces 21-member cricket team for England tour

AUSTRALIA: Australia has confirmed next month’s limited-overs tour of England, enhancing the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) bid to navigate past a financial crisis brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per details, the limited-overs tour, which was originally scheduled for July, has been given the green light by Cricket Australia’s board and ticked off by the Federal Government.

Australia will play three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in Southampton before moving to another bio-secure venue in Manchester for an equal number of one-dayers, all of which were scheduled to take place in July.

The NSW-based Australian players getting ready for their next assignment.

📷: @RyanPierse pic.twitter.com/o3gLNzuQlQ

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 14, 2020

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said in a statement, “We owe a significant debt of gratitude to the players, staff and administrators of Cricket Australia for their efforts in getting this tour underway.”

The board will also offer much-needed financial support at all levels of cricket in England and Wales as the cricketer and officials work through the challenges.

The tour would permit the ECB to complete all 18 international fixtures it had scheduled before the epidemic struck.

The Australian government granted travel exemptions for Aaron Finch and his men, Cricket Australia (CA) said while announcing a 21-member squad for the team’s first international tour since the coronavirus outbreak began.

Australia coach Justin Langer said he was delighted with how the players have returned to their states from the break back in March. The whole squad has come back fitter and stronger, which is a great testament to each of them, he added.

All-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who took a break last year to address mental health issues, returned to the side having recovered from an elbow injury.

The 21 men Australia will take to the UK #ENGvAUS

They'll play three T20s and three ODIs: https://t.co/M8s35ZuCI4 pic.twitter.com/EKCHsmhRuT

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 14, 2020

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.